


Viva la Resistance

by Justanothersoul413



Category: Homestuck
Genre: But not very important, Humanstuck, Post-War, Rebellion, Rebellionstuck, Some might reoccur, Trolls are mentioned, World War 3
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-07-25
Packaged: 2018-07-19 06:17:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7348492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justanothersoul413/pseuds/Justanothersoul413
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>World War 3 completely wiped out America. After the war was won, with America no more and the county of Skaia rising, a new form of government, a monarchy, was set up in hopes of resurrecting some peace and stability until the citizens could handle their own. The citizens were split into a caste system, with claim that the system meant nothing more than a way to organize the citizens. It was as though each of the five castes were just different states, much like how America had once been set up. Unfortunately, shortly after the original lord died and his son took the throne, the government became corrupt. Twos became higher than Threes, and Fives were treated worse than Fours. Now there’s a rebellion forming with a radical group called The Underground, and it’s almost like the war never truly finished, but instead changed from a world war to a civil war.</p>
<p>Four citizens decide to do everything in their power to help light the spark and give the extra push needed. But can they do it, when it’s only the four of them? Can they do it, even if it means giving up everything they had before? Can they do it, if it means becoming enemies of the country?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

America was once a great country. It spoke of freedom to choose and lives to live. To its citizens, it was one of the greatest. To others, it was a safe haven from their own homeland. Nevertheless, no matter how great the country, there is always another who wants to cause its destruction, because no matter how great the country, there is always someone who hates everything it stands for.

The day was April 13, 2030, when the unthinkable happened. Everyone was going about their business without a care in the world. No one thought twice about whether or not the day would go differently than it normally did. After all, humans are creatures of habit. Once someone found something they enjoyed, they tended to keep their days consistent to avoid any form of change.

In movies, when a country is attacked, it tends to start slow. The terrorists melt into the scene like anyone else and start taking over unbeknownst to the average citizen. Only after it’s too late does the truth get out. From there, the takeover is complete and anyone else has nothing left but to surrender. Unfortunately, this wasn’t like in the movies.

It started quickly and with a bang- or a couple hundred explosions, to be accurate. Cities were wiped out in a blink of an eye, and anyone who was fortunate enough to survive the blasts were lost in confusion. From there, they were quickly rushed into groups, held at gunpoint as they did so. Kids were crying, men were screaming. Anyone who tried to fight back was killed on the spot as an example. It was the only true way for the intruders to shut them up, after all. Trauma and fear were powerful tools.

The war lasted years, twelve to be exact, and many countries were involved. April 13 was the mark of the start of World War 3 and it was a day that no one would ever forget. It would be taught in history books for centuries, just like the first two. During the disaster, many lives were lost- lives of those trying to fight back and of those trying to hold power. Eventually, though, help did arrive for America. Troops from different countries were sent once their own nation was free, and each helped push the terrorists into giving up. But it was far too late to save everything.

Every empire falls at some point.

Destroyed by war and famine, the land of what used to be was now no more. Cities were leveled, farms were burned, and most structures were in shambles. The entirety of the country was destroyed, and no one could do anything about it. “It was a lost cause,” most said when there was talk of rebuilding “it should just be left as a wasteland.” Then again, most seemed to forget how determined someone could be.

Alastair Cherub went through the horror of the war and managed to come through on the other side. Eight years into the twelve year battle, he joined a group whose sole purpose was to help push back the opposite side, but in more peaceful ways. The members spoke of peace and brought hope to the people. They delivered food and helped find shelter. They were beacons of light in the otherwise bleak, dark time of which they lived.

Trauma and fear were powerful, but faith, hope, and love were more so.

One by one, the members of his group fell, but Alastair managed to escape death with his soon-to-be wife, Althea, whom had been in charge of caring for the sick. Mere tale of this was enough for the remaining citizens to stay strong. The Cherub family was talked about in every family and gathering, and when the war finally ended, everyone began to think they were just a story told to keep holding on. How wrong they were.

America was lost, but a new nation could begin. With the return of the Cherubs, the distraught people could look forward to living as they used to. Rallying together one last time, the people were able to rebuild and restore with the Cherubs as a guide. Not everything was salvageable, the outskirts the land were far too destroyed to save, but the center was.

Years of scavenging and living in the wilderness left the citizens lost at what to do next. Althea quickly decided that they needed a leader, and- with Alastair agreeing- the country became a monarchy with the Cherub family at the head. The two were still young, both only aging only 30 by the time everything was built and by the time they officially took the throne, but the people couldn’t be happier. They even worked tirelessly for months to build a palace fit for the two, building it in the very center of the entire nation. It was almost as though the citizens believed that the tale of a king and queen would make everything like a fairytale. In a way, it did.

It was seven long years of building before the King and Queen officially took power. There was still much building to do, and the two hoped that they could somehow restore what everyone started to call the Outlands, but everyone was happy. America was dead, but Skaia was born. The people loved the name of their new country, because it mixed the name of Gaia- the Greek primordial deity of the great mother of all- and the sky. A common saying was that, even in their darkest of moments, they could always look to the sky and see some light.

Despite everything the royal family tried to do, the citizens still had problems to be straightened out do to a lack of organization. Alastair and Althea put in place a caste system. It was intended as a way to categorize regions, sort of like how America had states. The royal family was a One, anyone who lived inside the inner circle was a Two, the next circle was Three, and so on, all the way to Five. You could move about as you pleased, but your number stayed with you as documentation as to where you originated. There were faults in the system, but everyone was just happy that there was some form of organization.

Years passed and the royal family grew bigger. Althea had twins, naming them Caliborn and Calliope. Unfortunately, all the time she spent with the sick during the war caught up to her, and she died in childbirth. Nevertheless, the twins were born healthy and would be the next in line, Caliborn being the first heir.

Heartbroken by his lover’s death, but determined to continue her wishes, Alastair continued to run the country alone. Never again would he marry, instead pouring his whole self into his country and his children. Stricter rules went into effect for the caste system, but only due to the chaos that rampaged after the citizen’s Queen died. Even with the joy of the new babies, Althea had been the mother- the healer- of everyone, and they were lost without her.

Though they could travel freely, everyone’s place of residency had to be in their number’s circle. The only way they could change would be to marry out of it. The partners would always take the number of that whom was older. Despite the annoyance this caused, the general public was still relatively happy with the change.

Even with the majority’s happiness, there were still those who did not like the sudden change. In their minds, it was as though the King was starting to act like the terrorists of which brought the fall of the original nation. It took eighteen years, but those who opposed formed a group and went after the benevolent King.

Alastair was only 51 years old when he was murdered, and not a single rebel lived to tell the tale of how the succeeded. Caliborn prematurely took the throne, even after having gone through the trauma of losing his father, and slaying the ones who killed him. No one had been around to help, and he didn’t want to let them run free.

With a heavy heart, Caliborn, age 18, took the throne and the responsibility of it all. He refused to go by the title of King in honor of his late father, instead choosing Lord English as the name the citizens would know him as.

Laws became stricter for order to be kept, and control of certain weapons started. It became common knowledge that the rebels were Fives, and rumors spread because of it. Slowly, even Lord English started to act the way everyone else did towards Fives, especially after another group of rebels started to oppose him. He gave more to the castes closer to him and less to the castes further away, believing the system was showing who was better. Those closer tended to have higher paying jobs than those further, and he only trusted Twos- and a few lucky Threes- to be in his army, fearing that a Four or Five would plot to undermine him the way they did his father.

Calliope, despite how upset she was with the way her brother ruled, was helpless. Though she was beside him to help, at the end of the day it was always his decision. He was born minutes before her, so she merely lived in the castle. Her brother was kind enough to let her be in charge of public relations- she would figure out the best way to portray the royal family in the media, she would talk with other countries on his behalf if needed, and things of the like- but he could still override any of her decisions, which he did often.

It felt like things were returning back to how they were during the war, but Lord English had everyone convinced otherwise to the point where only those hurting could feel it.

The date was November 9, 2082, and change was in the air.


	2. Rose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for how long this took to get out. My internet was down for a week. On the upside, I have the first four chapters finished, so I can upload those fairly regularly.

“Hello Skaia! I’m Vriska Serket here on 612 News, reporting live from the palace. As you all know, the two most loved people of our country have their birthdays coming up in just two days! A few lucky families of each caste have been given tickets to come celebrate with Lord English and his sister Princess Calliope in the palace. We will be covering as much of the festivities as we can, but don’t worry about missing anything if you weren’t lucky enough to be me and get a ticket. Everything will be played a few times over the week. How else are you going to see it when you’re busy with the parties that are happening in your neighborhood? Staying where you belong.”

The girl grinned widely as she addressed the camera once more. She appeared very relaxed when on camera, as though it was meant to be. Her long blonde hair had blue highlights going throughout her whole head, and it matched the shade of her lipstick and eyeshadow perfectly. A pair of thin black frames sat on her nose, giving off a little glare as she moved into the sun. Her apparel was simple, but camera ready. A pair of black leggings, barely visible from the camera angle, were decorated with blue spider webs all around, her shirt was an orange t-shirt with a sun decal on the front, but the back was covered due to her wearing a leather jacket.

“Aaaaaaaanyways! We’re here at the palace to get a few sneak peeks at the inside. You’ll get a first look at the decorations and festivities they’ll have! Come on, Tavros, let’s goooooooo!” The camera shook and then cut to black, coming back on a few moments later.

“Wow, look at all of this! Lots of green and red, which happens to be the twins’ favourite colors. It’s a good thing too, because those colors are in season as Christmas nears! Oh look, I see Seer Lalonde, Lord English’s advisor! Let’s go see if she’ll give us some more details!” The camera was much more still as it moved this time, as the cameraman didn’t have to run to catch up since they only moved across the room.

Seer Lalonde, as Vriska called her, was of average height and couldn’t be older than 18 years old. She had short light blonde hair as well, though hers was almost white, that was pushed back with a black head band. Her eyes were a brilliant purple, her skin was fair, and she held herself in the most poised position. She was wearing a floor length black dress with a squid-like decal on the front, and an equally long purple ribbon was tied around her waist. It matched the color of her shoes and the undershirt she wore that had full length sleeves. Despite the fact that she was darkly dressed, she practically radiated confidence, and her matching black colored lips were upturned into a smile that warmed the room.

“Heeeeeeeey Seer Lalonde! I’m the host of 612 News. You know, Vriska Serket? We were wondering if we could know what we’re going to see soon. You are His Royal Majesty’s lead advisor and seer, after all.” The advisor smiled, a little uncomfortable with being put on the spot the way she was. Nevertheless, she was able to pull herself together for the sake of saving face.

“You are right about that, but please, call me Rose. Seer is just a fancy title and means nothing. I don’t actually have powers to see the future, I merely look at changes and state my prediction of what might happen.” Vriska sighed slightly at hearing this.  
“booooooooring.”  
“Sorry, it’s a bit loud in here with everyone working. Could you repeat that?”  
“I said flooring! What lovely flooring.” It was obvious that Rose didn’t believe her, raising an eyebrow to silently convey this, but she decided against commenting.  
“Yes, it’s new. It’s marble and was installed last month for the party.”  
“Right... Anyway! Can you give us some details about the party? Who’s coming? What are you serving? What type of music are you going to play? Did any Fours or Fives receive tickets? Everyone knows about The Underground.” Rose simply smiled. She was glad to be back on topic.  
“I assure you that when we chose the families that will be attending, we preformed rigorous background checks on everyone, not just Fours and Fives. To answer your question, yes, we extended invitations to all of Skaia’s citizens, and the royal family, as well as everyone in the palace, should be safe from the rebels who call themselves The Underground. As for the other questions, I am not at liberty to discuss, but the identities of those invited will be kept secret until the day of the party in order to lower the possibility of anyone who wishes harm against His Royal Majesty or Her Royal Highness from stealing the tickets from law abiding citizens.”  
“Wow, you talk a lot.”  
“I presume you’ll be covering the spectacle, no?”  
“Oh hell yes I will! I, Vriska Serket, host of 612 news, have to be there. Next to Lord English and Princess Calliope, I’m the life of the party!”  
“I must remember that. I’m sorry, but if you’ll excuse me; I have party planning that I must attend to. I look forward to seeing you here on Saturday.”

As Rose walked away, Vriska turned back to the camera, grinning widely as she did. “You heard it here first, everyone! His Royal Majesty and Her Royal Highness are safe! There must be at least one good family from the outer circles, right? Tune in later to hear more about the upcoming event!” She paused for a moment, smiling still before scowling and glaring. “That’s it, Tavros. Cut it!”

The advisor rolled her eyes as she continued walking, overhearing the last bit of the newscast before she left the room. There were things she needed to attend to, but nothing in relation with the birthday party. Everyone else was working diligently enough on it that she wasn’t needed. Instead, she was needed in the Throne Room. For what, she didn’t know, but she hoped it wasn’t anything more than needing advice about the next few days. He liked to start yelling about anything that went wrong in the palace, and Rose was the one he yelled at.

Rose had lived in the palace her entire life. Though she wasn’t royalty, she was as high as she could get. As a Two, her mother had worked for the palace as the main astronomer, as she was the nation’s expert in celestial phenomena. Her job was very important to the late king and queen, because she helped get technology back on track. Connecting to space stations, using X-rays as an energy until the power could be restored, and even helping airports to be rebuilt by providing the different types of information needed for flying conditions.

Ms. Lalonde died of alcohol poisoning from her excessive drinking that took place after the late king and queen died, but had been careful to secure a place in the palace for her daughter in the event of her death. A mother will do whatever is best for her children, after all. Lord English had agreed to Rose’s stay only after he found out how good she was with “seeing” the future.

The path to the Throne Room was a long one. When the palace was built, it was decided that the Throne Room would be at the very heart of the building. It lowered the chance of an attack to get to the royal family, because there would be a lot of rooms and guards to go through. Rose would have to walk through the entrance way, the room of which she just left, through the Ballroom, through the Dining Room, around the Kitchen, passed all the guest suites and rooms, all to finally arrive at the massive Throne Room. It was originally built as a way for Skaia’s citizens to meet with the rulers of the country to learn what was needed, but was left empty during Althea’s pregnancy. Since Alastair could almost never leave the palace, he was far too busy with raising two kids, he utilized the original purpose of the Throne Room once again. It was then used up until his death, and was turned into Lord English’s personal room. Only those invited were allowed in, although it would be opened to the invitees for the party.

Soon enough, she arrived to the double doors guarded by two guards. One was male and one was female. The male was tall, but a bit lanky. He had short hair the color of honey, and his eyes were covered by a pair of dual colored lenses. Rose always wondered how they didn’t hurt his eyes, or make them worse than they were. The female, on the other hand, was almost his exact opposite. She was short and a little stocky, but not unhealthily so. Her long hair was the color of night, and her uncovered eyes were brown with a tint of crimson. Both wore the standard military outfit of Skaia- a pair of tactical jeans, a bright red tactical shirt, and a holster at the hip that was equipped with a pistol- and both stood at attention when Rose stepped up, stopping their chit-chat as they did so. Rose folded her hands in front of her. “Megido, Captor, could one of you please inform His Majesty that I have finally arrived, and please send my apologies for taking so long. I was a little caught up with the royal spider.”

The two grinned, relaxing a bit at seeing Rose’s teasing mood. It was always hard to tell how the advisor was feeling by just looking at her. She normally kept a stoic face, and her mood tended to revolve around a multitude of things. How well the citizens were acting, how well the palace staff were working, how Lord English was feeling, and things of the like. Not a single person wanted to make her mad in fear of what might happen. It was common knowledge to the staff, as well as anyone who followed 612 News, that Rose was Lord English’s most trusted companion, even more so than his own sister.

The male volunteered to go relay the news, leaving both females alone to themselves for a moment. The first few seconds were spent in silence until the door closed fully. Rose’s smile turned into a sly smirk as she shifted her gaze to the other. She had been hoping that he would be the one to leave. “So has Sollux asked yet, Aradia?” The poor girl turned red in the cheeks, but smiled widely nevertheless.  
“No, not yet, but I have a feeling it’s coming. I think he’s just waiting for the right moment.”  
“I’m sure. The moment has to be perfect, after all. I know I’ve said this before, but I believe that you two are meant to be.”  
“You’ve said that at least twenty two times now, and it means the world to me each time you say it.”  
“Twenty two? Come now, I’m sure that’s a bit of an over exaggeration.” Aradia shook her head in response.  
“I’ve been keeping track. What else am I supposed to do when we’re just standing around?”  
“Well that’s sweet. I might have to stop now that I’m at twenty-two now. Isn’t that his favourite number, after all?”  
“Oh, now you’re the sweet one. I’ve only told you that once! How could you remember something so small?” Rose touched her hand to her heart and cocked her head to the side.  
“Simply because I care, my dear friend.”

Their conversation was cut short as Sollux exited the throne room and held the door open for Rose. “He said he can’t wait to see you.”  
“Thank you, Sollux. I appreciate you helping out.”  
“It’s absolutely no problem.” He grinned a toothy grin as she passed through, clasping her hands in front of her once more when she stepped in. The doors close behind her with a solid thump and she knew no one outside that room would be able to hear anything that was said, whether it be yelling or not.

“Hello my darling,” A deep voice came from the back of the room followed by the clang of a metal cup being dropped to the ground. Lord English, as usual, was seated upon his throne. His fingers that had once been holding said cup were drumming on the arm rest as though he had been waiting more than the few minutes the unexpected interview had taken. The scent of alcohol was hanging thickly in the air, and Rose knew he had been drinking. “It’s about time you showed up. We have some things that must be addressed, things that should have been taken care of a long time ago.”


	3. Jade

Once Jade Harley trusted someone, she hardly ever doubted them. But she was very observant, and she knew when that trust was broken, even when the other hadn’t revealed it yet. It was one of the biggest reasons that The Elite was the right place for her to be.

The Elite, as the name would tell, was the most trusted of Lord English’s military. He picked them himself, only going through to choose new ones every five years. It was the most coveted positions one could hope for when they signed up to protect Skaia and everyone in it. Jade felt proud to know she had made the team, and even more so when looking back on how she was raised and the fact that it was nearly impossible for someone like her to even join the military.

Shortly after The Underground started to become known to the general public, Lord English cut off Threes and below from joining his military. The radical group consisted mainly of Fours and Five, the ones who suffered the most, but everyone was paranoid. Twos believed they were better than anyone else and they felt as though they should be the only ones protecting the royal family. Lord English agreed whole heartedly, but after the Threes started getting restless over the new proposal, his advisor came up with the idea that Threes must pass a series of tests on skills and intelligence, as well as have to go through a rigorous background check, before they could join. This compromise was taken well by Twos, but not as well by Threes.

The Three ring was very mountainous and dry. Though the Four and Five ring was even more so, anyone who wished to join had to take tests in environments they weren’t used to. Threes were used to climbing and surviving in the wilderness; they weren’t used to the plains with streams and rivers. They were used to the cold, depending on if they lived in the upper part of the country; they weren’t used to the heat they would encounter when they went to train in the Two ring. This deterred most Threes from even signing up to try.

Jade Harley was a Three by birth. She was one of the few lucky to make it into the military. It’s all she had ever wanted, and she even trained as a child with her grandfather. Even though he was only an inventor, her grandfather was still skilled with firearms, and by the time she was enlisted, she had mastered all types of firearms, as well as hand-to-hand combat, but she could strife with just about anything. She even had a dog that she trained with that was enlisted with her. Bec was a good dog and her best friend. Most of the recruits liked Bec, and were happy when he showed that he good for more than just getting pet. He had sniffed out many people and revealed many intruders, and all of that was enough to secure him a spot with Jade.

As lucky as she was to even make it into the military as a Three, she was even more so to be invited to join the Elite. It was an honor to join, and when Lord English personally invited her, she almost forgot her training to not hug the ruler. He had gone on to say that he was very impressed with both her skills and her ability to keep the other soldiers motivated in the bleakness of war. He said the word “war” with a sinister smile, but she hadn’t noticed with the excitement going on. Besides, who was she to question the one who just gave her the best news she had ever heard? Also, he was the ruler of Skaia! He didn’t like war, and he cared for his people!

It had been a year since she joined the Elite. A few times her squad had been sent out to the Three ring to help fight back against The Underground, but right now, they were stationed at the palace. With the increased activity, Lord English had called for added security for him, as well as everyone working furiously to get the palace ready for the upcoming birthday party. The Elite had been broken into teams of four, one of which was a higher ranking officer than the other three.

Jade had the misfortune of having Karkat Vantas as her squad’s leader. The guy was average height and had a habit of wearing turtle necks even if it was hot outside, though that was because he was always cold. He had a mutation in his genes that rendered him with albinism. Because of that, his hair was white as snow and his eyes were a very dull red. He had a pair of sickles hanging from his pocket, and it was a wonder he wasn’t accidentally cutting himself. Even with his appearance already doing it for him, he was determined to stand out by practically yelling everything he said. That was something he was doing right now. “Alright you blithering feculent shitholes, listen up!”

He clasped his hands behind his back as he paced back and forth in front of the three. First in the line was Jade, the tallest of the group but only taller than Karkat by an inch or two. She had long, wild raven black hair that matched the color of her circular glasses. Her eyes matched her name when it came to color, and they were filled to the brim with wonder and adventure. She had a rifle for fighting, as well as Bec, a white golden retriever, at her side. The next in line was a shorter redhead named Terezi Pyrope. Her own glasses were red tinted sunglasses that she almost never took off. She claimed that they were prescription rated, but no one believed her. Her glasses hid pale blue eyes, so pale that she was constantly mistaken for as blind whenever someone saw them. She always talked of justice and chose to fight mainly with swords that hid into a cane-like staff. The last in line was Nepeta, the shortest of the three. Her hair was also red, but of a much duller color, as was her eyes when they came to matching Jade’s. She, like Karkat, didn’t have glasses, but instead she wore a blue hat with cat ears. Her fighting style was more hand-to-hand combat, and she was equipped with Wolverine-like retractable claws in her gloves. Each person, including Karkat, had a pistol at their right hip, a radio at their right, and wore Skaia’s standard military outfit, though Karkat wore a turtleneck for his shirt instead.

The group, at first glance, looked like a pair of misfits thrown together, but they were the best of the Elite when assigned with each other. They didn’t need too many words when it came to fighting, because each was observant enough to practically feel what another needed. Even if Jade wasn’t fond of Karkat, she still was glad that they worked relatively well together. She couldn’t feel luckier to be in the situation that she was.

“Today is our squad’s day to do rounds around the courtyard. Sargent Zahhak’s squad did it yesterday, and Sargent Hussie’s squad will do it tomorrow. Remember, we are all inside during the party, as those who were not good enough to join The Elite will be dispersed between outside the palace, as well as other rings of Skaia due to the separate gatherings everyone else will undoubtedly and idiotically have. Let’s hope we’re lucky and won’t have a problem with The-fucking-Underground.” Once Karkat was done speaking, he stopped and glanced between the three in front of him, pausing to see if anyone had any questions. Instead of a question, Terezi just threw her arms around Jade and Nepeta, grinning widely.  
“We make our own luck, Cherry, and we’re about to prove that!” She had said that line a few other times, and each time it made Jade smile.  
“Good, glad to see you’re all on board,” Karkat said instead of commenting on her choice of words, “not that you have much of a choice. Just remember that, because we’re inside during the party, you can’t be wearing these fucking clown-suits we’re all forced to wear when on the field. You’ll have to dress appropriately to blend in, but in a way that will conceal all weapons, in case they’re needed. If you can’t figure out a way to conceal your respective weapon choice, well shit you’re out of luck, because the pistol at your hip is required. You have to have that on you even if you have to tape it to your leg or hide it in your hair. You can all act like braindead asswipes during your own festering flap of personal time during the festivities, but if shit hits the fan, you’re back to war mode, got it? Because that’s what this is. The Underground is trying to bring everything we hold fucking dear to our pathetic hearts to the ground, and they want to end the fight with the person we’re to protect at all costs, even if that means our lives. They’re just a group of radical shitheads, but they’re not above killing anyone who opposes them, as we’ve seen in recent months.” Okay, so Karkat talked a lot.

The Underground, a term coined by the radical group and made popular by Twos, was the biggest threat Skaia had to deal with. Not even foreign countries were as big of a problem as them. They spoke of change, but took drastic measures to get their point across. Burning houses, looting stores, and even killing higher ranking citizens, The Underground would be happy with a civil war if it meant getting what they wanted, and that want was for Lord English to lose power and for the caste system to fall.

Most of The Underground members were Fives, as they struggled the most, but even some Fours had joined. Most Fours had to live paycheck to days before paycheck. They had housing, unlike most Fives, but what they had was falling apart. Nevertheless, only a handful of Fours joined The Underground. Those who didn’t chose not to in fear of getting caught. Just speaking about the group would get you in a lot of trouble, but if you joined it, everyone in your family, regardless of their involvement, were subject to death on the basis of treason.

Though Jade knew that, deep down, she didn’t quite agree with the way everything was set up, she held an extreme distaste for The Underground and anyone involved. The Underground was her driving force when she tried out for Lord English’s military, and it was the thing that kept her going, even in the heat of battle. She wanted to erase the group of terrorists from existence, and she wouldn’t stop fighting until she did so.

“We’ll walk in pairs and in opposite directions,” Karkat continued, bringing everyone out of their respective thoughts, “We’ll switch up the groups every hour to keep conversations lively, because we’re going to be doing this for the next six fucking hours, or until we get dismissed if they need us longer. First round will be Harley and Pyrope, and Leijon with me. Pyrope will be with me next while Leijon and Harley group up. Then I’ll be with Harley for the third round. We’ll get a half hour break after the third round, thank fuck, and then keep going in that order until we can leave. If you spot anything that seems suspicious, radio it in. That doesn’t mean you can radio me if you think the food table is suspicious and you need to check it out, Pyrope. Playtime is during the party.”

Karkat stopped pacing and was silent for a moment, looking at everyone individually. After a minute, he nodded, satisfied with the knowledge that everyone seemed to be listening. “Meet back here in an hour for partner switch. You’re all dismissed.”

Just as Terezi and Jade turned to walk the other way, a bell started to ring shrilly. The group looked at each other for only a second before taking off towards the palace door.


	4. John

It wasn’t fair.

Ever since he was little, John Egbert knew something wasn’t right. He grew up a Three and was well off due to his father running a baking company he inherited from his mom, John’s Nanna. His schooling was free, he had a part time job even if he didn’t need it, and practically anything he could ever want was handed to him. He was a Three living a Two life, so he should be happy, right?

He was only seven years old when Lord English took power. He didn’t remember much about the old king, just that he was very kind, but he did remember when he was killed. John was playing at the park with other local kids. He was running around without a care in the world, when his dad suddenly took hold of him to all but drag him away from the other boy that he was playing tag with. He also didn’t remember what was said, but he did remember the other boy’s guardian yelling at Mr. Egbert.

The other boy was a Five. His guardian was visiting the Three ring in hopes of finding work. It was a common thing to do for Fours and Fives, and Threes helped out whenever they could. While the kids were playing, as the adults took a break from their respective lives, John’s dad had received a call from Nanna with the news of the attack.

Mr. Egbert was a very open minded man when it came to things, and he tended to believe that all people were good at heart even if they made bad decisions sometimes. He didn’t believe in adhering to stereotypes, but with the news of attack, Mr. Egbert could only think about one thing: John. The adult male was scared, and he didn’t want to take the chance that the other adult could hurt his son.

At the time, John didn’t understand what was going on, only that the adults were yelling and that he was getting dragged away from someone he was having fun with. At the time, John didn’t understand his father’s justifiable fear, only that the other kid was a Five and that they couldn’t play together anymore. At the time, John didn’t understand everything, only that this was the moment his hate for the caste system was born.

Eleven years later, John still hated it. Since that day, he hadn’t been allowed out of the house for too long, and only to certain places with a guard or two tagging along.

When The Underground showed up out of nowhere only five years after Lord English took power, it was no wonder that anyone with any sort of financial security had become terrified. They all had to watch their neighbors, friends, and family either die or get everything taken away from them. The Threes that hadn't made it into the military started a new task that was allowed by Lord English: protection. Just about all Twos and most Threes started hiring guards to help protect their lives and their things. It had started small, most of these guards were just helping out friends and family, but once the ruler realised how good it looked to endorse such a thing, he gave funding and training. Any money raised would go back to him of course, but each guard would get a paycheck like the military personnel would.

As guards became more popular on a personal level, Lord English started the program on a national one as well. Drones, as the lower castes nicknamed them, patrolled the rings of Four and Five in order to keep them afraid of stepping out of line and to enforce curfew. Curfew had originally been an hour after night set in, but with the increased rebellion from certain people, it kept getting sooner and sooner. Eventually, everyone was to be in their respective homes as soon as the skies became dark.

You would think, John would be happy where he is. He should be glad he doesn't have to work hard for food, to have a comfortable life. But he really wasn't. He knew how unfair this caste system was. While his family was pampered and had everything they could possibly need as well as want, so many people lived on the streets. Fours and Fives were the ones who needed help and Lord English’s support. He could see why they were so angry with the rules forced upon them.

John hated the rules enforced by “Mister High and mighty and if you aren't wealthy then fuck you; you have work hard for as long as you live.” He understood why the rebellion was going on because he understood that it was completely unfair to those in the lower castes. 

What could he do, though? He wanted to help so earnestly even though it was frowned upon to help out the lower caste, which just showed how bad things had gotten. It became very evident to John that things needed to change.

However, he wasn't going to help change by using violence and all the other methods The Underground used to get their point across to the Royal Family. Though he agreed with the fact that change needed to happen, he didn’t agree with the tactics The Underground used. He tried to make his own tactics a lot more peaceful compared to theirs. He was still really new to this rebellion thing, starting only a few months ago, and he had only been doing some miniscule things, but it counted for something right? His actions were just simple acts of kindness, but every self-improvement book he had read talked about how kindness could change the world if it was passed on.

Once in a while, after curfew, he would attempt to sneak out from his house, which was actually quite difficult due to the guards that surrounded his house to protect his family. He had to be very cautious and silent while he tried to escape his house through his window. He was usually clad in a deep blue outfit with a hood pulled over his head and some black paint around his eyes to create a make-shift mask. He still wore his glasses, though, because seeing clearly was still needed.

A blue bag was normally strapped onto his back and filled with some food, medical kits, and various other things people could use. His plan was to leave some things at different houses or leave them near Five families where they made small shelters to protect themselves from the elements. He would just leave behind some supplies and bolt. He didn't need them and could always get more if he did. No one really knew who he was, there were just rumors going along of a man leaving things at people who lived in lower castes at their doorsteps and leaving. It was sort of like a Robin Hood story, but without the archery aspect, in blue, and alone.

Okay, so maybe it wasn't the best plan, but it's just a little push to help people along. He had been almost caught nearly a dozen times, but it was worth the run.

But there would be no sneaking out for another few days. With the party coming up, guards had been increased around the Egbert household, and John had become far too busy. Mr. Egbert had decided that they would be the ones to plan the neighborhood party this year. There were flowers to arrange, food to make, deserts to bake, and signs to be hung up. With the family living right on the edge of the Two and Three ring border, they were fortunate to be able to have the party at their own house, though it was more like a mansion. Unfortunately, that meant John was tasked with having to work around the maids and butlers that were furiously working.

Mr. Egbert was in the kitchen to help with the baking. He loved baking, even getting his hands dirty in his own company, so it wasn’t uncommon for John to be working alone. He was thankful that the maids were also helping with hanging up some of the decorations, but he did everything else by himself. It was tiring, and he just wanted to go to bed. He couldn’t wait for his dad to come out of the kitchen to tell everyone that they were done for the night, even if he knew that everyone would be back at it again in the morning.

As he was setting up the last of the banners in the otherwise empty room that had been designated for casual socialization, he heard the familiar heavy steps of his father’s feet. The man’s steps weren’t heavy because he was, but because they tended to weigh a lot after he was done baking. Contrary to his son, Mr. Egbert was tall and skinny, whereas John was shorter and a little heavier after growing up around a lot of sweets. While Mr. Egbert’s eyes were a light grey and uncorrected, John’s eyes were a deep blue and framed by thick rectangular glasses. John also had a pair of teeth that seemed to be longer than the rest, and Mr. Egbert’s were as perfect as could be. Nevertheless, the two both sported a full head of black hair, even if John’s was a little wilder than Mr. Egbert’s was, and both had rounder faces. It was clear that the two were related, but it was also clear that John took after his mother more than his father.

Instead of setting his banner down and turning towards the familiar sound, he decided it was best to finish his work and then ask his father’s opinion while he was there. He tacked up the last of it and pulled back just enough to see the words “Happy Birthday to the Royal Family”, but not enough to fall from the ladder of which he stood on. “Very nice,” came the deep voice of Mr. Egbert from behind. “I especially like how the word ‘royal’ is red whilst ‘family’ is green instead of continuing your pattern.” He had originally planned to leave it all a neutral color, but decided at the last minute to switch between red and green for each letter. “The left side needs to go up a little, though.”

Sighing internally, the male fixed the crooked banner before stepping down and off the ladder. There was always something that would be found wrong by his dad, no matter what the topic was. But if Mr. Egbert was out of the kitchen, that meant they were done for the night. Not only would they be done for the night, but they would also be done early, which would allow a few drops to happy for some Four families. So right now, he couldn’t be happier about seeing his dad.

But something wasn’t right. Mr. Egbert had a look in his eyes that told everything was the exact opposite of right. It was a look John had only seen a few times, and one of them being the day of the King’s death. It was a look that meant something went wrong, but something that they couldn’t fix. It wasn’t just that a few batches of cupcakes were burned or dropped, and it wasn’t just that they had run out of decorations. It was something far more serious.

A million thing ran through John’s mind as he tried to figure out what could have gone wrong. Nanna could be in the hospital, the house could have caught fire and he didn’t know, The Underground could have attacked the neighborhood, or even Lord English could have been killed. John wanted peace and equality, but that didn’t mean he wanted the ruler dead! Everyone deserved to live and no one deserved to die by someone else.

“Johnathan, I need you to follow me. There’s something we need to talk about. I thought it would have passed, that it would be just a phase, but it’s clear now that it’s not. It’s something that involves a hooded man and an act of pure, unaltered terrorism.”

Shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Commenting helps me know what you guys think, so you should totally do it. Tell me what I'm doing right, tell me what I'm doing wrong, tell me what your predictions are for the story line, or tell me what you want to see happen in the future!


	5. Dave

If you asked Dave Strider if he'd grow up to be a member of a rebellion, he might have laughed and told you "yeah, sure!" and played it off as though it were a joke, something far-fetched and completely off the wall crazy. He might have also covered your mouth in case you were heard, as talk about a rebellion was punishable by death, especially if you were a Five like him. But here, eighteen years old, tagging a billboard with Lord English's great, big, ugly face with red spray paint to give him a mustache and missing teeth, you'd have thought he was doing this kind of thing his whole life.

Tagging might not swing the war for equality in his favor, but the platinum-haired boy didn't feel like getting into any brawls at the moment. He had enough food to last him until tomorrow and- with the festivities beginning in the morning- he had to prepare to steal some more. That being said, he was far too busy to go out and start a fight.

He often wondered if The Underground was really ever going to successfully perform a coup like the government spoke of so often. His Bro used to swear up and down that they were going to get English's head on a spike one of these days and that everything would become fair for everyone, but Dave was beginning to believe that it was just a dream and they were all living in slums and making stealthy outfits for shits and giggles at this point. Thank goodness he wouldn't act like the others in his caste system.

Burning buildings, murdering citizens of the higher caste, and trying to murder the ruler never sat right with Dave. Of course he hated how things were run, and he absolutely loathed Lord English, but he wasn't about to go kill someone. Killing was wrong, no matter the circumstances. The Underground had the right motive, just the wrong actions.

So here he was, on his own for many reasons. Bro had died in battle a few years previous, leaving Dave alone to fend for himself. Many members of The Underground had backed off after that fateful day, and only a few stayed in contact with the brother of their late leader, but only long enough to make sure the male was able to get back onto his own feet.

Once the person they all saw as their leader was killed, the rebellion slowed. There would be occasional acts of rising up- such as a stray building burning to the ground, or a small business getting looted- but those were just signs that told that The Underground was still alive. They were unorganized, and looking for a new leader, but they were still around to cause problems. Security and military forces had even been stepped up because of it, and a curfew was made and enforced. Then again, a lot of that was his own fault. He made The Underground look like some playground bully, one that chose brawn over brain.

It turns out, Dave took after his brother in a lot more ways than looks. He still felt the urge to help The Underground's cause, he would be stupid not to want freedom, but he just did it in different ways. Pissing the big guy off was enjoyable and much more effective. It was also humorous to watch the military scum running around and to try to catch him.

The Knight of Time, a name coined by the Threes and then made popular by the media, was someone who wasn't seen, just heard. Everyone saw what he did and heard about how he did it, but rarely had someone ever caught what the "knight" actually looked like. Sure, they had a general description, such as the fact that he was male and he was in his late teens, but that was basically nothing. All anyone really knew about him was that he was quick, light on his feet, smart, and sprayed a red gear after doing a job.

The Underground wanted him to join, wanted him to take his brother’s place, and they made it very well known to everyone. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, so the saying goes. Ironically, though, Dave made it very well known that he wanted nothing to do with The Underground. They were on good terms, but occasionally Dave would see a message spray painted in different alleyways. Thank goodness not even The Underground knew who he really was. Having them follow him home would be a nightmare to deal with. That and he would have to face the possibility of getting blackmailed into joining.

He was clad in red- his pants, shirt, hooded cape, and even his eyes- and the only things that weren't were his gloves and hair, both of which were black, though his hair was just sprayed that way just in case he was spotted. The gloves had belonged to his brother, and it had taken months of searching just to get them.

You'd think his favourite color was red, with how much of it he had on, but it was actually the opposite. Dave hated the color. Red was the color of anger and the color that spilled from his brother. He hated it so much, so why was he using it? Simple- to remember what he was fighting against. He was fighting against the bloodshed and hatred that the caste systems brought about.

Finally, stepping back and taking in a view of what he'd done, he felt almost proud. His artwork went unmatched by anyone, not even the ass who'd drawn out this really sub-par realism sketch of Lord English to slap on billboards across town. Anyone who was anyone knew that bastard had shit for teeth, not pearly whites. Then again, anyone who was anyone also knew his name was Caliborn and that he had a drinking problem. Damn them and their propaganda lies. Another drop in the sea of reasons to get that fake-teethed liar out of the office.

Snorting to himself, Dave finished his work by spraying on his signature gear and dropping off the edge of the billboard, gloved fingers gripping the edge as he calculated the distance between his dangling position and the nearest ledge. The term break a leg came to mind, but he figured he'd literally break a leg and not blow away the masses with his sick parkour skills or whatever if he didn’t land right. Still, he had to do it. He'd come onto the billboard from above, not below, and with eyes shut tight and teeth grit, he let himself go and braced for impact.

He had a method when it came to falling to the ground. Bend his knees, land on the balls of his feet, and then roll to let the continuing momentum take the rest of the force the impact brought. It had worked in the past, and was probably the only reason he normally was able to walk away with just mere sprains.

As he rolled, he clutched his bag tightly to his chest to reduce any movement of the contents inside. It was a small backpack that he found abandoned on the streets a while ago. It was in pretty good condition, only needing a few stitches in the strap, and it happened to be a dark color, so it would hide well in the dark. It helped a lot. In the bag was some more spray paint, a few elastic bandages, a change of regular clothes, and a pair of sunglasses. His red eyes were something the pseudo-knight was born with, and his glasses were the only way to hide them. Colored contacts were rare to come by, only found in the Two ring, and he already risked enough to steal hair dye. There was also a nearly full water bottle for washing his hair clean of said dye in case he needed to duck into an alley and come out like a normal Five, not a criminal. The Knight of Time thing had been mentioned on the news a few times, from what he had gathered from his escapades into forbidden territory, but he wasn't public enemy number one.

Not just yet, at least. He was still working on that.

Once Dave stopped rolling, he scampered as quickly as he could into the shadows. Night had fallen almost half an hour previous, and he was currently holing himself up in the Three ring to be closer for when the festivities start. Drones were already patrolling the streets, so he had to act quickly if he didn’t want to get caught. There was an old and abandoned building nearby that he was taking shelter in. It used to be a nightclub before it was burned to the ground by The Underground years ago. Research had told Dave that it was very popular when it came to helping Fours and Fives looking for work, but only up until Lord English took power. The company soon began to kick anyone out that even appeared as though they didn’t belong. It was no wonder The Underground became upset with it.

Even with its burned appearance, the building was still structurally sound in the middle. The outsides would have to be torn down if it was ever to be used again, and Dave was surprised that it hadn’t been, but it was good for sleeping in. It was also perfect for waiting out the storm that was currently on the horizon.

Dave laid in the shadows for a minute, listening for any sign of people as he willed his heart to stop pounding. Sure, there were people in their respective houses, but he was listening more for drones or guards. He didn’t have the routes memorized here, like he did in his own ring, so he had to be extra careful.

His right ankle throbbed. Thankfully it didn’t feel broken, but it would still hurt a little if he had to run. He almost landed wrong, so that would have been a nightmare to try to get away with. The temporary hideout was only a few blocks away, but he would have to reroute if someone was following him. The only thing at the hideout was different items he found, but he wanted to be able to take them back home for others who needed them. A little pile on the floor consisted of medical packs, different lengths of fabric, and even some cans of food. His backpack could hold everything if he packed it smart enough.

It took nearly ten minutes for Dave to convince himself to stand up. His ankle still hurt but it was otherwise alright. He stuck to the shadows as he made his way to shelter, favoring his right foot all the way, and thankfully made it back without any problems. While he changed back into his normal clothes and washed his hair back to its normal color, he could hear different people- he assumed they were either guards or drones- walking the streets. One person seemed to be listening to music, and paused their walking to finish the song.

“Oh Fef, if only I was a famous singer, too! We could make such sweet music together, and the entire world would love us. And one day, we could get married, and everyone would throw aother party!” Dave rolled his eyes at hearing this rambling come from outside. He had heard about this “Fef” singer before, and that she was one of the most popular artists in all of Skaia, as well as becoming increasingly popular throughout the world.

Outside, instead of talking or singing, a low rumble came. The storm was getting closer, and soon the pitter-patter of rain could be heard on the rooftop of the abandoned building. The male outside groaned at this. “If this is a sign, then I get it. I’d be happy with just being friends!” All in all, the entire conversation he was having with himself was just silly, and he knew that as told by the way he chuckled to himself.

Suddenly, the sound of a distorted bell ringing came through the stranger’s radio. It lasted a full minute before stopping, replaced quickly by a different voice. “All units, calling all units. It has just been reported that a billboard of His Majesty in the Three ring has been defaced. All details point to the possibility of an infiltration. Be on the lookout for the Knight of Time. I repeat, be on the lookout for the Knight of Time.”

Dave panicked at hearing this news. He quickly and quietly packed up everything he had into his backpack and moved deeper into the building. “Hey, who’s in there?” The stranger from outside called. At the first sign of movement, he ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want to leave a comment? Please do so! I need feedback to know if this is good enough to continue!
> 
> Thanks!!

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so very excited to share this story with you all! I've been working on the concept for a while, and I have finally gotten around to typing it up. Each chapter will focus on one of the four beta kids until they're together. I'll put the name of who's point of view it's in at the top of the chapter, and maybe as the chapter title if enough of you want that. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, just leave them for me.
> 
> Enjoy!


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